


Calling from the bottom, but you don't hear me....

by emiliaf25 (emiliaf24)



Category: Detroit: Become Human (Video Game)
Genre: Connor Needs A Hug, Connor whump, Father-Son Relationship, Feral Behavior, Good Parent Hank Anderson, Hurt Connor (Detroit: Become Human), Hurt/Comfort, Prompt: Delirium and or Numb, Protective Connor (Detroit: Become Human), Tumblr Prompt, Whump, Whumptober 2019, don't mess with a deviant hunter when he's delirious, from: asunachinadoll
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-04
Updated: 2020-02-04
Packaged: 2021-02-27 19:34:17
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,287
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22561054
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/emiliaf24/pseuds/emiliaf25
Summary: When Connor came back online, it was not gentle, and it was not gradual. It was a shock of lighting straight to his thirium pump, and then all of his basic operations were running.
Relationships: Hank Anderson & Connor
Comments: 22
Kudos: 422





	Calling from the bottom, but you don't hear me....

When Connor came back online, it was not gentle, and it was not gradual. It was a shock of lighting straight to his thirium pump, and then all of his basic operations were running.

Connor shot up into a sitting position.

**Stress Levels: 84%^**

A dull ache was emanating from his back panels, each rapid inhale sending fire through artificial lungs. He barely paid the pain any attention. He needed to figure out where he was because, because…it was difficult to think, to keep his train of thought focused on anything aside from figuring out his location. That - that was important. He had to figure out where he was and then he could move on. Connor tried to activate his path finder.

**[FUNCTION COULD NOT BE COMPLETED]**

_ALL NON-ESSENTIAL FEATURES IN STANDBY UNTIL SYSTEM WIDE REPAIRS AT 35%_

**Stress Levels: 90%^**

Connor’s rate of breathing increased. He knew he needed to calm down, or he’d be stuck in a cycle of his stress levels overheating him and his lungs attempting to cool his systems, until they overclocked and he’d either reboot or implode. And he would know which one of those things would happen, if only he could activate his fucking damage report, which was for some idiotic reason considred nON ESSENTIAL -

**Stress Levels: 93%^**

He whipped his head around, deciding to deduce his environment through his optics. His vision was glitchy and ballooning along the edges, but he could identify the objects around him well enough. Connor was in a room with pastel colored walls, calming to the eye but not boring. A few paintings decorated them - some he recognized as Markus’ work, others he could not without a scan - along with posters of android schematics. He was in a bed, or a metal table rather with some padding, and next to him was a computer monitor and a machine, which he was hooked up to.

Connor’s breath hitched. He knew where he was. He was in an Android Care Facility.

**Stress Levels: 95%^**

It was not safe here. He had to leave. He needed to be safe. IT waS N̷̟̋o̵͆͜T̵̬̆ ̴̼̂s̷͋͜å̵͕f̷̘̚e̵͚͌ ̸͔̓h̸̘̔ë̴͓́r̶͎͘ẽ̴͇. His thoughts were circling. Why did he need to be safe? Why -

 **Reload Memory File:** SELECT: [ **Y** ] / [ **N** ] ?

**AUTOMATED RELOAD INITIATED….**

_Connor came back online. It was slow. It was sputtering. But he came back online. His vision glitchy, blacking out every 85 seconds before returning. Errors reporting damage to several biocomponents blared in his HUD, including a dangerously low thirium supplies. His hands were tied behind his back and he was laying on his side in the corner of a dark, dank room, presumably at_ **_[Ẻ̷̲̲̰͌͌R̶͇̋R̴̯̭̯͂̔̅O̶̰̽̌R̸̰͚̪̀ ̵̨M̷̝̭̟͆E̶̤̯͑M̵͚̀́Ô̶̮͑͝Ṛ̵̟̋̇Y̴̯̌ ̵̜̂̾͜N̸̨̳̞͆̓̚O̶̲͔̾̆̕T̸̢̮̞̑ ̴̧̡̨̈́̌A̸͇͕͊̊͝V̴̨̥̮̅͂̕A̸̛̟̭̝͆I̵̹L̷̦͓̩̒̓͘Ä̵̬̩́͂͘B̶̯̟̎̀̀Ḽ̷̇͘Ę̵̳̖̉͆]_ ** _where Connor and Hank had been staking out._

_Hank was in the middle of the room, tied up on his side, facing Connor, unconscious. His scanner was inoperable, only by straining his camera and damaged auditory processor was he able to tell that he was breathing._

_Connor heard a voice coming from outside the door, growing louder as they came closer. “…can’t I get a gun at least? I hate doing it like this it’s too messy.”_

_The crackling of static. Then: “No! They’re fucking unconscious and we ain’t wasting the bullets. And remember not to touch the android. The thirium solidifies when they shut off.”_

_“Wow no shit man I’ve only been doin’ this for 3 years but thanks for the reminder it was really helpful.”_

_“Just shut up and get it done.”_

_The door handle clinked._

**Stress Levels: 98%^**

[ **ESCAPE Ḁ̸͒N̷̖̔D̴̹͆R̴̢̐O̸̘̽I̴̠͝D̷̥ ̵̝̃C̴̯Ạ̸̀R̸̺̈́E̶̛̝ ̸̟̔F̸̼͠A̶̬͊C̵̲̅I̶̳͒L̶̟̆Í̵̳T̷͔͗Y̷̯̚ BASEMENT** ]

Connor started yanking out the wires from his ports as fast as he could. The monitors shrieked and beeped with each abrupt disconnection. His body gave a full jerk when he pulled out the thick wire connected to the back of his neck. It continued to shudder as aftershocks surged through his head and arms and torso. He grit his teeth through it all, and swung his legs over the side of the bed. He had to find Hank and leave this place before the suspect…before the suspect…

The curtain blocking the doorway was sharply swept aside. A nurse stood there, a look of stark alarm on his face.

“Wh-whoa hey! You’re repairs aren’t finished! Please return to your bed before you damage yourself further…”

He walked into the room, reaching out towards Connor as if to -

 **Reload Memory File:** SELECT: [ **Y** ] / [ **N** ] ?

**AUTOMATED RELOAD INITIATED….**

_….the human crouched beside Hank, knife raised. Connor scrambled to his feet, lethargic and unbalanced as he was, and charged at the human, their prime suspect from a fatal hit and run. He charged at the man and -_

**_[Ẻ̷̲̲̰͌͌R̶͇̋R̴̯̭̯͂̔̅O̶̰̽̌R̸̰͚̪̀ ̵̨M̷̝̭̟͆E̶̤̯͑M̵͚̀́Ô̶̮͑͝Ṛ̵̟̋̇Y̴̯̌ ̵̜̂̾͜N̸̨̳̞͆̓̚O̶̲͔̾̆̕T̸̢̮̞̑ ̴̧̡̨̈́̌A̸͇͕͊̊͝V̴̨̥̮̅͂̕A̸̛̟̭̝͆I̵̹L̷̦͓̩̒̓͘Ä̵̬̩́͂͘B̶̯̟̎̀̀Ḽ̷̇͘Ę̵̳̖̉͆]_ **

_Connor was on top of Hank, crying out as the knife plunged into his back again and again and again and again -_

He scrambled backwards, getting tangled in the sheets on the bed before toppling to the floor. He was back on his feet a few seconds later. He couldn’t let the n̷͂ͅǗ̸̯r̶͕̋ - drug dealer and accomplice to the suspect get the upper hand. He spied a screwdriver on his bedside table and snatched it up, holding it up in a hammer grip while his free hand guarded his face. More D̴̡̃̍O̷̦̽̎̂c̵̠̗͗T̷͚̲̐̎̈ ̵̤͔͇̑- thugs were entering the room. Another wave of sudden exhaustion had him tipping over slightly, but he caught himself, eyes following each of the cautiously approaching people in the room like a hawk. The odds were not great, he could admit, but Connor had faced worse with less. Besides, there was no room for failure when Hank’s safety was on the line.

“Hey - HEY! ‘The fuck is goin’ on - out of the way I’mma cop, move! He’s my partner - _Connor_? What the hell are you doin’ kid - ?”

 **Reload Memory File:** SELECT: [ **Y** ] / [ **N** ] ?

**AUTOMATED RELOAD INITIATED….**

_The man grabbed Connor by his shoulder to steady himself. “Fuck it,” he growled between panting breaths. “We’ll grab another plastic from somewhere else.” He reeled his arm back to stab him once more, a final time, but Connor managed to buck out of the hold and swing his elbow into the man’s chin -_

**_[Ẻ̷̲̲̰͌͌R̶͇̋R̴̯̭̯͂̔̅O̶̰̽̌R̸̰͚̪̀ ̵̨M̷̝̭̟͆E̶̤̯͑M̵͚̀́Ô̶̮͑͝Ṛ̵̟̋̇Y̴̯̌ ̵̜̂̾͜N̸̨̳̞͆̓̚O̶̲͔̾̆̕T̸̢̮̞̑ ̴̧̡̨̈́̌A̸͇͕͊̊͝V̴̨̥̮̅͂̕A̸̛̟̭̝͆I̵̹L̷̦͓̩̒̓͘Ä̵̬̩́͂͘B̶̯̟̎̀̀Ḽ̷̇͘Ę̵̳̖̉͆]_ **

_Connor had Hank slung over his shoulder in a fireman’s carry, as he shuffle-limped through a hallway. He’d already managed to get a message through the DPD’s frequency - they would have the building surrounded any moment now. Connor tried to push himself to go faster. They were so close to the exit, they just needed to get out and lay low. Fighting wasn’t an option; Hank was too vulnerable. He hadn’t budged even with all the movement and jostling. Connor tried not to think too deeply about what that could mean, only that he had to keep him safe. All processing power was dedicated to that single mission: Keep Hank safe, get to the exit. Keep Hank safe, get to the exit. Shouts could be heard behind them, footsteps, dozens of them, pounding against uncovered cement floor. They were so close [KEEP HANK SAFE] just a little more ways away…_

“..nnor? Connor it’s ok son. I’m alright. You hear me now?”

Hank’s hand was a barely there touch on his shoulder. He and Connor were backed into a corner, Hank tucked safely behind him as Connor kept the thugs at bay with his screwdriver.

“C’mon Con, we’re not at the hideout anymore. We’re both safe.”

Hank? That was…Hank was conscious?

Connor glanced over his shoulder. “H-Hank?”

Hank let out a soft sigh that was halfway between a laugh. He had a black eye and his left shoulder was sloped downward, indicative of severe bruising or dislocation. Connor could not detect any inconsistencies in his breathing pattern, a good sign that there were no internal injuries. His stress levels lowered at this knowledge. “There you are. See? I’m all good now. You got us out of there son - that’s what you’re seein’ right? We’re just at an ACF, everybody’s fine.”

One of the n̴̼̈u̶̺̇r̵̻͠ ̸̭͝-̵̠͘ ~~̶̙͝t̸͖͗h̷̻͒u̷̦͘~~ ̸̬͐-̶̤̓ ̶̮͠n̴͚̽ų̷͠rse’s tip toed forward. “Sir please, if you don’t return to bed soon we will be forced to sedate you.”

Connor whipped the screwdriver up, a feral snarl curling unbidden at his lips. The…as of yet classified person (but undoubtedly someone to be weary of!) flinched and backed away into the growing group of people opposite him.

“Hey hey HEY! Give the guy some space will ya!”

“Lieutenant Anderson, I don’t think you understand the direness of the situation. He could shut down if we don’t - ”

“I understand it fine! Just lemme talk to him for a sec - he’s freaking out and you guys crowdin’ him ain’t helping.”

“We don’t have a lot of time Lieuten -

“I know I know, just gimmie a _second_ , ok?”

Connor felt a hand touch his elbow gently. The one holding the screw driver. He flinched violently. No no he couldn't’ lose the only weapon he had to protect Hank he had to keep his guard up he had to protect Hank -

**[PROTECT HANK]**

**[IF YOU DON’T YOU WILL LOSE Ę̷̛̘̭̪̙̹̟͍̼̳̫͕̱̟̣̰̈́͛͂͒̈́̑̚͝͝ͅV̴̮͒̃͑̆͝Ę̴̼̫̪̩͈̟͖̄̀̈͠R̸̫̱̼̿̓̉̋̄̆̑͑͗̊̎̿̕͠Ȳ̵̢̛̯̞̠͉̝̘͙͕̼̊Ţ̵̨͚͔̣̮̳̯̱͚͒̾͛͌͂̿͌̾͘͝͝͝Ḧ̶̢̠͉͚̰̙̥͚͍̳͚͖̾ͅI̷̢̧͙̻̤͔̥̮̹̯̲̠̪̥̖͛͂͒͗̅͜͜Ņ̷̖̯͐̊̋̀͌͑́̈́͋̄͘͠G̷̛͎̻̣͙̤̻͎̩̻̟̤̺̾̿̈́̐̆̓̾̎͝͠ͅ]**

**Stress Levels: 99%^**

“….ook at me Connor! _Look_ at me! Come on kid, I can’t make you do anything you don’t wanna do….”

Connor’s eyes shifted rapidly from Hank to the crowd of people, who became less important, less of a threat, the longer he heard Hank’s voice.

“That’s it kid, focus on me. Don’t worry about those guys.” The hand was back on his elbow, but this time Connor didn’t yank his arm away. “Let’s just…put this away and relax, huh?”

“B-but!” There was a wildness in his voice that he couldn’t mask. Bad enough he wasn’t giving them his full attention. What would happen if he was weaponless!? They would strike, they would kill them - !!

“Hey, you trust me right?” Hank’s voice remained even, his heart rate stayed at it’s normal pace, despite the uncomfortable position he was in. That, more than his words, calmed Connor considerably. “I wouldn’t say we were safe if we weren’t safe. So we don’t need that thing, ok?”

Hank put a slight pressure on his arm, not even close to attempting to force it down. Just a gentle nudge, a suggestion really. Connor’s directives warred within him. The PROTECT HANK prompt started to fade out of his vision. Another one, tentative and slightly glitchy, took its place.

**[TRUST HANK?]**

Oh. Yes of course. Without question.

His arm fell to his side, limp and shaking. Hank palmed the screwdriver and tucked it away. His hand moved to Connor’s shoulder, rubbing it soothingly.

**Stress Levels: 53%˅**

“Let’s get you to bed now, huh? Bet you’re hurtin’ like hell right now after everything you went through.”

Yet again, without much by your leave from his brain, Connor started nodding feverently. With the lowering of his stress levels came the lifting of the foggy confusion and lack of control.

And in addition to that, the fire licking up and down his back and the heaviness of his extremities, as if weights were tied to his joints and trying to drag him down down into the floor and into a void, came with it too.

Carefully, Hank stepped around Connor, hand now comforting _and_ supporting his weight, and started to lead him forward. The…staff - three nurses and a doctor - hesitantly moved out of their way.

Memories of their kidnapping were no longer overlapping his real time vision, but Connor could not help the latent mistrust he was feeling. He stopped short, ~~squinting~~ glaring at the ACF staff, and shuffled a little so that Hank was more behind him.

“What’d I say before? These guys ain’t gonna do nothin’ to me. And if they try you’ll fuck em’ up.”

Connor nodded gravely. He would wreck their shit, obviously. Hank snorted for some reason. Before he could question him on it (though he didn’t know if he could, since he appeared to have the same energy levels as a small kitten at the moment), Hank had moved back to Connor’s side and started their trek again, guiding his now fully shaking form onto the bed.

A jolt of fear struck and coursed through his circuits as the nurses quickly started to reconnect the various wires to his ports. Being surrounded, and knowing that he would be rendered unconscious again (defenseless again, useless. What if something happened to Hank while he was out), gave him a panicky sort of energy, like his systems were clawing at his reserve power. It made his thirium pump pound painfully against his chest and had a contradicting, draining effect on his body.

He flailed weakly, unsure of what he was searching for until he snagged Hank’s shirtsleeve. Connor clutched it like it was all he had in the world.

“Shhh shh, you’re ok son,” Hank said softly, carding his fingers through his hair. Connor hadn’t realized he’d been whimpering until he stopped. “Try and get some sleep…”

“D-don’t g̶̞̐ǒ̸͙…”

“I won’t. I _swear_ to God I’ll be here when you wake up.” Hank’s voice sounded strange, like there was something clogging his throat. Connor hoped he wasn’t getting sick. “That way you can beat the fuck out of anyone in case they try an’ mess with me, right?”

“Yes. P̷-̸p̸l̴e̴a̷s̸e̷ wake me-me up early…if they do.”

Snorting chuckles erupted from the older man. Connor thought he felt a drop of water fall on his hand, though it was possible he imagined it. “God you’re such a goofy bastard.”

He was annoyed that he did not get a definitive answer out of Hank, but the pull of stasis became too much to bear, as the combined serum and program the ACF used for pain relief did its work.

**Author's Note:**

> Hey all! 
> 
> It's been a minute since I've posted on here sorry about that! I got wrapped up in a couple of projects on tumblr fall and winter last year, and I realize a lot of of them won't translate very well on this platform (not with my addiction to adding gifs and videos to everything XD). But I've got a few whumptober one shots (and several more that I'm working on as I type this) as well as a billion other WIPs I've still got cooking in my noodle. Don't worry all (if you are worried lol) the well of ideas has not at all run dry! I've just been a bit neglectful of my ao3 works (RIP Live Your Best Life.... and There's Always A Favorite. you don't deserve to be treated this way it's not your fault you're saddled with a author who can't manage time or focus for shit XD).
> 
> Anywho, hope you guys enjoyed!
> 
> For more updates, fic shorts, headcanons, asks, and other nonsense check out my tumblr at: https://emiliaf25.tumblr.com/


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